Passion - erotic book by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Airen Wolf

I love romance novels, and I am unashamed to admit it! The qualification should be made that I like romance novels that are well written. None of that form crap for me please! If a story can stand alone but has an element of romance and sex then it is what I am looking for. "Passion Erotic Romance for Women" edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel is a book full of just the sort of stories I love reading.
Each of the 20 stories deals with the concept of passion in a loving, romantic way between heterosexual couples that is also scorchingly thought provoking.

In the story 'Big Bed Sex' by Donna George Storey our heroine is treated to a lavishly expensive night in a luxury hotel but she is alone and missing her husband. She fantasizes about the adorable bellhop but gets the surprise of her life later from her husband!

In 'My Dark Knight' by Jacqueline Applebee a lovely lady is beginning to wonder if there are any chivalrous men left in the world. She dreams of the man at her favorite cafe and finds out he was dreaming of her as well. In a surprising twist she learns he really is a knight in slightly dinged armor.

"Dear In The Headlights" by Angela Caperton shows us the passionate side of anger when a power couple is denied the weekend they both feel they deserve.

"The Silver Belt" by Lana Fox shows us how love and passion can sometimes bind us to the wrong sort of life and partner. In a sizzling night we see a woman unchained and freed from her unknowing chains.

Rachel Kramer Bussel, herself, spins us a tale of remembering why we fell in love in the first place and rekindling that romantic passion. Her "Five Senses" is a lovely look at what it sometimes takes to keep a relationship fresh and exciting.
Along the same lines comes the story "Rekindle" by Kathleen Bradean. In this lovely tale a woman decides that she doesn't want her relationship with her husband to become stale and predictable so she changes her normal routine on her husband's birthday. She shows him how hotly her passion still is for him and he returns the favor most deliciously!

"An Easy Guy TO Fall On" by Annabeth Leong shares a classic tale of passion overcoming social conditioning and parental desires. While I am not sure it is 100% reality it is a lovely, passionate story that deserves a happy ending.

Can anger and hate actually be frustrated desire mixed with a healthy dose of humiliation? In "Lingua Franca" by Justine Elyot we see that it can, indeed be all of this and more. A Polish immigrant is attracted to his English boss and is angered by her need to correct his speech. She, in turn, is attracted to his rugged handsomeness. After a bar fight they discover that passion is a language all it's own.

From the well worded introduction to the last page this book offers something for the romantic in all of us. While some of the stories are vague and odd, others are hard hitting and downright sizzling. They are perfect for a just before bed read and hold up well to being read aloud.


Cleiss Press has a unique way of allowing the reader to get to know the authors in their "About the Authors" section at the back of most of their books. You can get some extra information on an author you particularly like as well as a web address in most cases.
The cover art isn't overly pornographic and, depending on your job, might be fine for reading at work.

I really enjoyed reading this book in short snippets as it seemed, to me, to be a book worth savoring. I wasn't wrong or disappointed.
I recommend this for people who like reading uplifting stories about passion. It's not a social commentary or anything groundbreaking but it is a great little read!

This book has stood the test of time. I have found that I read the stories over and over. I love the way each story is about more than the sex, it's about romance and just good story telling. I still recommend this to lover's of more romantic erotica.